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Friday, April 22, 2011

I ran the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on 5/1/11, the day after the Kentucky Derby Marathon. I wasn't too nervous at the beginning of the Flying Pig because of the great company I had!! Stephanie Arango who recently completed her 50th state in Boston this year hosted me for the marathon. It was so much fun to see her and her mom again and to meet her boyfriend and friends! Thank you Stephanie for convincing me that I could complete a double marathon weekend and still have a fun time!! Stephanie's mom, Mary and I finished the Pig together! It was our first double! A big shout out to her boyfriend Justin who finished his first marathon at the Pig!

The night before the Pig, Stephanie organized a dinner in downtown Cincinnati at the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at Fountain Square. It was a fun dinner and I had the chance to meet other Marathon Maniacs and share my story!

Marathon Maniacs at dinner

Mary and I

Marathon Maniac Divas

Cincinnati skyline shot...myself, Juli, Mary, and Dave!

52.4 miles. 2 in 2 days.

52.4 miles in 2 days...did it hurt?? Well, my legs weren't as sore as my feet were and I took both marathons very slowly. I had so much fun during both of them. It's all about the fun for me because that's the way my dad was. There wouldn't be much of a point in running 50 states if I wasn't having fun and enjoying it all along the way.

Earning 2 medals in 2 days made me a bit emotional. It made me think of my dad and everyone who has had to go through the grieving process. Running has been my outlet. It has made me the person that I am today and it has introduced me to great people and has also allowed me to reconnect with old friends. I am so thankful that I was able to experience this double marathon weekend and I plan on doing a few more doubles throughout my 50 state quest!

I was able to share my story with many runners throughout the weekend and hopefully inspired many along the way. I hope my 50 state quest informs and inspires other people to take a proactive approach to losing a loved one. I can't thank the Center for Grieving Children in Portland, Maine enough for being one of many places where I could go for a piece of mind and to talk to others going through the same pain and grief. Thank you everyone for continuing to follow and support my journey!

I ran the Kentucky Derby Marathon on 4/30/11 in Louisville. I stayed with my good friend Lauren from college who I did track with. She has the most adorable little son named Cal. He's such a cute and sweet little boy!

Lauren & I at the marathon expo

I drove to the marathon start with Lauren's sister, Alden and her friend Abbie...they were both running their first 1/2 marathon!

Myself, Alden, and Abbie

After I wished Alden and Abbie good luck, I started to head over to the start and for the Marathon Maniac group photo. I met a lot of other great runners/people!

Marathon Maniacs group photo

It was in the 80s during the race and the course was pretty hilly. I wasn't feeling so well around mile 10 and became sick. I don't know if I was dehydrated or what was going on, but I told myself that I had already made it 10 miles so I could suck it up and make it another 16. Sure enough, I did and I am glad I did. I met Annette Blanton and Dave Mari (both Marathon Maniacs) during the marathon.

Annette and I in front of a random horse sculpture :)

Bill and I!

This was Bill's something 80th marathon...he's on his second tour of the 50 states. AMAZING! He definitely helped me get through this one...especially that huge hill at mile 23! It's always a pleasure to find Bill at marathons. He's full of good humor!

The Kentucky Derby Marathon was #8 and the beginning of my first ever double marathon weekend!

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About Me

I am running 50+ marathons in 50 states to raise money and awareness for the Center for Grieving Children in Portland, Maine and in memory of my dad, William Mason Trask, who passed away suddenly in 2006 at age 51. My goal is to complete my 50th state at Boston and marathon #51 at the Mount Desert Island Marathon, where my dad grew up. This will not be a competitive journey. I will not have set goal times for each marathon, instead I want to inspire others along the marathon courses to continue to run and to remember why they run. I hope to encourage others to take a proactive approach to coping with the loss of a loved one. Please follow and support me through 1,310+ miles. Who will you run for?